Page 52 - Nov 2022

TTFN

Part ing Thought s From Andy Adams

Edit or 's Not e When November's issue of MOTORING appears in your digital inbox, the club's long
serving webmaster and At-Large Board member Andy Adams and his wife, Susie, will be about 12
days away from making a cross country trip to start the next phase of their life's adventure. The
Adams' trusty Triumph will be making the trip, too, but this time on a hauler. After Andy and Susie
arrive in Oregon, they won't be returning to Middle Tennessee again , at least to call the area home.
The Adams' move is a lock, stock, and barrel affair.
Long term former club president Chip Hanback once described Andy Adams as the sort of member
that is the backbone of the club, a pillar that helps hold the whole shebang together. Teamwork, a
sense of humor, and a willingness to volunteer are all attributes of Andy's character that could be
expected from a graduate of the United States Naval Academy. We caught up with Andy before his
ETD to ask a few questions and to learn a bit more about his plans. He's already has joined a British
car club in his new state. We can say with absolute sincerity: their gain is our loss.

MOTORING: So, Oregon? Are you headed back to where we ended up living in the San Francisco Bay
your original home base or moving somewhere area.
that's entirely new to you?
MOTORING: Did you make a career in the Navy or
ADAMS: Neither, actually. I was born in New did you find a job in the civilian economy more to
Jersey but moved to Missouri when I was 13. My your liking?
family lived just outside of St.Louis and I met
ADAMS: Being in the surface Navy is a tough job. I
Susie when I was in high school, there. We were
was a Main Propulsion Assistant on a FRAM
seniors together. Then she moved to Indiana to
destroyer that had been left over from WWII. My
go to college at Valparaiso University and I
first three years there was a lot of pressure. I was
received a nomination to the United States Naval
the cherry ensign and division officer for 2 divisions
Academy so I headed to Annapolis in Maryland.
of about 75 guys, which represented about a
We married in 1973 and like everyone in the Navy
quarter of the crew. They were great guys but they
ended up with orders to places we hadn't lived.
weren't what you'd call 4.0 sailors. Plus, many of
The Navy took us to Virginia and to California
the petty officers in the divisions were push button
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